Foster Care and Adoption

Our Mission

Fulfilling the biblical command to help orphans and the fatherless.

You can make a difference for the [one]

Through foster care or adoption, Safe Families for Children, Refugee Foster Care, or Mentoring. Contact us now with any questions.

Statistics

400,000 children are in foster care in the U.S – equivalent to the populations of Atlanta, Georgia, or Washington DC13,000 kids are in foster care in Michigan

Foster kids who age out:61% end up homeless within the first yearLess than 3% make it to college and less than 1% will receive their degreeLess than 50% have a high school diploma or GEDOver 50% are unemployed and over 80% will become a parent and receive public assistance within 2 years of aging out.80% of Federal and State prison inmates had been in foster care at 1 point in their lives. These stats are daunting and we-the church- must do something!

Upcoming events

Are You Being Called? 3-Week Small Group meeting January 16, 23, 30, 2018 at Troy campus.

FAQ

Who are the children needing foster care?

Children of all ages, races, cultures and religious backgrounds are in need of foster care. Sometimes there may be a need to place a single child with a family and sometimes there may be siblings needing placement.

How long will a foster child stay with us?

Foster care is intended to be a temporary placement for the child. Reunification of the family is the primary goal. The majority of children in foster care are reunited with their parents or primary caretaker. If that’s not feasible, workers try to place the child in a permanent adoptive home as soon as possible. Each case is unique; you could keep a child for a few months or even a year. …

Do foster parents have full responsibility for foster children in their home?

The Department of Human Services (DHS) shares responsibility with them. The parents are responsible for the day-to-day care of the child, while DHS carries overall responsibility for the decisions about the child.

How do I become licensed?

Attend our P.R.I.D.E. Orientation and Training or contact your local Department of Human Services or a private child-placing agency in your area. The foster care supervisor will explain to you what you need to do to become licensed. You may be married or single and can either work outside the house or stay at home. You will be required to attend training, agree to submit medical statements for …

What does "foster-to-adopt" mean? What about "dual licensing"?

“Foster-to-adopt” means families seek to become foster parents with the hope and intent that they will adopt a foster child that comes into their home. In Michigan, we call this same process “dual licensing.” Families complete the foster care licensing requirements and the adoption requirements at the same time. It saves time and reduces duplicate paperwork. It is also b …

Will I receive a stipend to help with food and clothing costs?

Twice monthly you’ll receive a payment based on the age and needs of the child. You will also receive a semi-annual clothing allowance. Children in foster care are eligible for Medicaid, which pays for medical, dental and mental health care. Many foster families will qualify for reimbursement for the costs of day care.

What is Adoption?

Adoption is the transfer of parental rights from one person or couple to another person or couple. It is a permanent and legal process, which means adoptive parents have the same rights and responsibilities as biological parents.

What types of adoption are available?

In addition to working with your adoption agency, many states provide photo listings on their websites. You can also visit the following websites, which feature photo listings of waiting children in Michigan and Florida:

Adopting a child from the U.S. foster care system

Adopting an infant in the United States

Adopting a child from another country

Adopting …

What are the qualifications to adopt?

Foster care adoption is not expensive and financial assistance is available for parents who choose this path. Adoptive families are as diverse as the children waiting to be adopted.

However, there are requirements for other types of adoption. If you adopt internationally or privately with an attorney or agency, parents are typically under 40, are financially stable, and have been married …

Is Foster Care adoption just as expensive as private infant or international adoption?

Foster care adoption normally costs little or nothing.

How much does it cost to adopt?

The cost of adoption depends on a number of things: the type of adoption, the agency you work with, the state in which you live, attorney fees, and any necessary travel expenses.

Foster care adoptions: $0–$2,500

Licensed private agency adoptions: $5,000–$40,000+

Independent adoptions: $8,000–$40,000+

Intercountry adoptions: $7,000–$30,000

Can a biological parent come to take a child back?

This is a fear for two-thirds of the people considering adoption. Biological parents have NO WAY to gain back custody of the child or children once their parental rights are terminated.

How do I begin the adoption process?

Select an agency to work with and attend their adoption orientation. Your agency will guide you through the application process, paperwork, home study and required background checks.

How long will a foster child stay with us?

Foster care is intended to be a temporary placement for the child. Reunification of the family is the primary goal. The majority of children in foster care are reunited with their parents or primary caretaker. If that’s not feasible, workers try to place the child in a permanent adoptive home as soon as possible. Each case is unique; you could keep a child for a few months or even a year.

How do I become licensed?

Attend our P.R.I.D.E. Orientation and Training or contact your local Department of Human Services or a private child-placing agency in your area. The foster care supervisor will explain to you what you need to do to become licensed. You may be married or single and can either work outside the house or stay at home. You will be required to attend training, agree to submit medical statements for your family, be interviewed in your home, have a criminal background check done and provide letters of recommendation. The entire process takes between three and six months.

What does "foster-to-adopt" mean? What about "dual licensing"?

“Foster-to-adopt” means families seek to become foster parents with the hope and intent that they will adopt a foster child that comes into their home. In Michigan, we call this same process “dual licensing.” Families complete the foster care licensing requirements and the adoption requirements at the same time. It saves time and reduces duplicate paperwork. It is also beneficial to children because they won’t move as often.

What types of adoption are available?

In addition to working with your adoption agency, many states provide photo listings on their websites. You can also visit the following websites, which feature photo listings of waiting children in Michigan and Florida:

Adopting a child from the U.S. foster care system

Adopting an infant in the United States

Adopting a child from another country

Adopting a stepchild or stepchildren

What are the qualifications to adopt?

Foster care adoption is not expensive and financial assistance is available for parents who choose this path. Adoptive families are as diverse as the children waiting to be adopted.

However, there are requirements for other types of adoption. If you adopt internationally or privately with an attorney or agency, parents are typically under 40, are financially stable, and have been married for at least three years.

How much does it cost to adopt?

The cost of adoption depends on a number of things: the type of adoption, the agency you work with, the state in which you live, attorney fees, and any necessary travel expenses.

Foster care adoptions: $0–$2,500

Licensed private agency adoptions: $5,000–$40,000+

Independent adoptions: $8,000–$40,000+

Intercountry adoptions: $7,000–$30,000

GET INVOLVED

There are many ways to support this cause.

Safe Families For Children

Safe Families for Children partners with local churches to strengthen and support families in crisis so they can become safe families for their own children. This is done through Host Families (who take in children for short periods of time so the parents can get back on their feet), family friends and family coaches in support of the host family. The parents voluntarily place their children in these host homes before they end up in the foster care system. Click on the link below for more details.

Wrap-Around Care

Communicate your needs as a foster/adoptive family or provide support to foster and adoptive families as they transition the many changes in their families with meals, babysitting, transportation, etc.

Foster Care

Foster care is a temporary living arrangement for a child that has been removed from their parents' care by a court order. Children are placed into foster care for various reasons. Some children have been abused and/or neglected, some are voluntarily surrendered, and some come into the system after a death in the family when there are no relatives to care for them. Regardless of how a child comes into foster care, the child needs a safe, loving home to nurture them while they are in transition. There are approximately 12,000 children in the Michigan foster care system on any given day. We need your help to let these kids know they are valued and worthy of love. We need caring people to embrace these children and become licensed foster parents.

Foster Care Adoption

In the United States there are over 137,000 children in foster care waiting to be adopted, approximately 3000 of these children live in Michigan. Parental rights have been terminated for all of these children and they wait anxiously for a family to call their own. Our hope is that these kids will not languish in foster care only to age out of the system alone, but that each one will be chosen for adoption and receive the gift of a forever family. We need people to embrace these children and begin the adoption process today.

Mentoring

Every year in our nation, over 20,000 children waiting to be adopted reach the age of maturity and "age out," or leave the child welfare system without a family or a permanent home to call their own. Statistics show that these young adults are at a significantly higher risk of being homeless, unemployed, parents at an early age, substance abusers or incarcerated. We believe we can change the future of older foster youth (ages 14-20) by engaging in their lives before they age out. We want to look beyond the statistics and focus on individual children who are longing to have someone significant in their lives. We need individuals to embrace the future of these children and become mentors today!

Children Resource Center provides resources to foster/adoptive parents such as clothes, shoes, diapers, formula and baby needs such as high chairs and strollers. To request more information about this resource, call (248) 767-3839.